Say Hey (song)
|recorded = 1996 |genre = |length = 3:36 |label = DeConstruction |writer = Kylie Minogue |producer = Brothers in Rhythm |last_song = "Breathe" (5) |this_song = "Say Hey" (6) |next_song = "Drunk" (7) }} Say Hey is a song off Kylie's sixth studio album Impossible Princess (1997). Written by Kylie and produced by Brothers in Rhythm, it was later included in the track list of Kylie's compilation albums Confide in Me(2002) and Confide in Me: The Irresistible Kylie (2007). The song is a electronica track in which Kylie sings about her verbal and physical relationship with then-boyfriend Stephane Sednaoui. "Say Hey" was met with positive reviews by most music critics, many of whom commended the songs composition and Kylie's songwriting. However, some critics felt the song was weak and was too similar to the work of Icelandic singer Björk. "Say Hey" was released as a promotional airplay single in Australia and New Zealand by Mushroom Records. "Say Hey" was performed on Intimate and Live and the Anti Tour. Background and release While writing the songs for Impossible Princes at her home in Chelsea, London, Kylie's then-boyfriend Stephane Sednaoui continued working in on photography and modelling in his native France and occasionally visited her in London. Kylie had sat in her bath tub in early hours of the morning and wanted to call her boyfriend "not to speak with him, but to leave a message". She felt throughout the process of Impossible Princess that she did not have enough contact with him and wanted to have "some feeling of communication" between the two; she commented that she originally didn't intend to have a conversation with him that morning. "Say Hey" was mixed by Alan Bremner and recorded at Real World Studios, Sarm West Studios and DMC Studios in the UK. After several postponements of the album in 1997, Kylie's Australian record label Mushroom Records decided to distributed six songs as promotional singles in both Australia and New Zealand. With one lead single, "Some Kind of Bliss", being released in September 1997, it received mixed reviews and poor commercial success. Mushroom released "Say Hey" and alongside Impossible Princess tracks "Some Kind of Bliss", "Too Far", "Limbo", "I Don't Need Anyone" and "Did It Again" on Australian and New Zealand airplay as promotional singles. Composition Written solely by Kylie and produced by Brothers in Rhythm, "Say Hey" is an electronica song with a duration of three minutes and thirty-eight seconds. All instrumentals including synthesizers and keyboards were played by Kylie's creative director Steve Anderson with assistance by Kylie. Kylie labelled the composition as "late night, early morning" music and lyrically talks about communication with Sednaoui. Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine said "Say Hey" was "delirious spacey" and fits like a puzzle alongside "Limbo". Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian stated "Drunk and Hey ... the trip-hop obscurities from her anomalous mid-90s electronica period." A reviewer for Who said the song is a “hymn of seduction layered upon a pulsating bass with bits of Kylie's voice chopped up and scattered throughout for effect.” Several critics compared the song with Icelandic singer Björk, with Ben Willmott from NME comparing the song with her single "Violently Happy" and her second studio album Debut (1990). Polari Magazine also compared it to Björk's songs from her debut album Debut and felt it would not have "sounded out of place".[ A reviewer from Australian magazine Who Weekly compared it to both Björk and English duo Everything but the Girl. Critical reception "Say Hey" received favorable reviews from most music critics. Michael R. Smith from The Daily Vault labelled it an "intoxicating atmospheric track" that were placed at the very heart of the studio album. Larry Flick from Billboard highlighted the song as an album stand out track, saying it was "trend-hopping" and fused perfect "modern pop music." While reviewing her Anti Tour concert, Mike Wass from Idolator felt "Say Hey" and "Drunk" illustrated her most "experimental phase". Sullivan complimented the song writing in both "Say Hey" and Impossible Princess track "Drunk". Gary James from Entertainment Focus commended all her own written tracks including "Say Hey". Bence Illés from Pop-Cultured.net felt the song was an instant highlight for the album because of its "intentionally simple wording". However, a reviewer from Sputnikmusic felt it was a "weak point" from Impossible Princess. They felt that "Kylie sings in a tired lazy tone while the music is uninspiring doing nothing to get a reaction from the listener. These both could have been added as bonus tracks that way they wouldn’t take away from the alternative pop sound." Willmott commented that the composition of "Say Hey" and Impossible Princess track "Through the Years" were too similar to Björk and labelled it "noisy". A reviewer from Who Weekly compared the song to Björk and British duo Everything but the Girl. Michael Dwyer from Western Australian said "the bath-time fantasy 'Say Hey' is enough to steam up every mirror in the house." Live performances Kylie performed the track on her Intimate and Live tour in June–July 1998. The track was used in act three along with several other tracks on the Impossible Princess album and featured Kylie in her cowboy-inspired dress that she introduced for the act opener "Cowboy Style" but did not wear the cowboy hat. The performance was recorded on 30 June and 1 July at Capitol Theatre in Sydney, and appeared on the related CD and DVD. In April 2011, Kylie was in talks about the conception of the Anti Tour after completing her Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour. The conception was to feature b-sides, rarities and unreleased tracks that Kylie has never performed and "Say Hey" was included on the list. The live performance featured Kylie in a white singlet and daisy dukes, featuring three back up singers and her live band in the background. The performance received positive reviews from most music critics, many whom praised the inclusion of the song on the tour. Promotion and other usage "Say Hey" was released in mid-1997 in the UK on a cassette tape with all other album tracks as part of a promotional release. "Say Hey" has been featured on many of Kylie's compilation albums. It's first appearance was on her 2001 BMG greatest hits compilation album Confide in Me, a compilation consisting majority off her singles and tracks from her Deconstruction period; Heather Phares from Allmusic praised the Impossible Princess tracks including "Say Hey". It then appeared on her 2004 compilation album Artist Collection, which included most of her Impossible Princess era. The song's last appearance was on her second disc of Confide in Me: The Irresistible Kylie released in July 2007 by UK independent label Music Club. Lyrics Category:Songs Category:Impossible Princess Category:1997 Category:DeConstruction